Back From Africa
by MissWisy
Summary: Clair Bratch is an anthropologist/archaeologist of the Jeffersonian. After three years in Africa she returns home to find out some disturbing news about a certain little squint. Set at the end of "The Pain in the Heart"
1. Most Disturbing News

A/N Eeep my first Bones fanfic! I'll try to do my best by capturing all the characters but really no one can do Bones and Zack but the actors. Enjoy R&R

Prologue

3 Years ago

"It's only for a couple years. Don't worry the first thing I do when I get back from Africa will be to head straight to the Jeffersonian to see you ok?"

"Alright. I'm going to miss you though Claire. Every day."

"I'll email you as often as I can and ill send souvenirs. I love you."

"I love you, too," says Zack as he gently presses his lips to mine. I hug him close to me for a minute and then I have to let go in order to catch my plane on time. As I head up the escalator I see Zack waving at me and I wave back overzealously trying to hold back tears.

1

Present day

"Taxi!" I yell. It had been nearly three years since I left D.C and now I'm back ah it feels so good to be home. After what seems like a half-hour but was most likely only ten minutes a cab finally pulls up in front of me. "The Jeffersonian please," I tell him. I dig through my dark red purse and try to find my iPhone taking it out I look at the screen and return it to the time it is supposed to be on. I scroll through my contacts and look for the familiar face of one Zack Addy. Finding his number I quickly call him to tell him that I'm back in town but rethink and hit the end button. I'll just surprise him. When I get to the anthropology department at the Jeffersonian I notice something odd. Where the hell are all the people? Getting my phone out I decide to call Jack Hodgins Zack's landlord. He picks up on about the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jack it's Claire. Have you been watching Titanic again?"

"Oh Claire hi um…. If your wondering where we are we're at the hospital all of us so you might wanna head on over."

"Ok thanks I'll be there in a couple minutes."

"Bye." It wasn't very far from the Jeffersonian to the hospital so I decided to walk. When I got there I headed over to the lady at reception, but noticed that Dr. Brennan was already there.

"Hello Claire. Welcome back. I hope your trip was quite satisfactory."

"Indeed it was. But may I ask why is everyone over here instead of at the institute?"

"Zack was in an accident."

"Was it one of his and Jack's experiments again? I swear those things will be the death of them both if they aren't careful." Dr. Brennan said nothing in reply so we spent the rest of the elevator ride in an awkward silence, well awkward for me. When we got to the third floor of the hospital the first thing I noticed was the group of people at the end of the hall and of course those were the people I was here to see.

Zack Pov

When I turned my head to look at all the people on the other side of the glass I saw Angela and Hodgins hugging a very lovely girl. Agent Booth was introducing her to Sweets. Ah she must have been an intern before me, but that wouldn't make sense she looks about my age from her bone growth. She had long brown hair done into a braid, soft green eyes, and an enchanting smile. What was that word Angela used to describe these types of women? Oh yes that's correct "hot" is the term she used. This young lady was defiantly hot. She was asking Booth a question but I couldn't hear what she was saying one moment she had her broad smile on and the next it was gone replaced by confusion and denial. What did he tell her that would make this lively woman look so forlorn. I noticed she started fingering something on her neck it looked like a ring.

She looked back up at Booth and I could see tears in her eyes and she asked him another question and when he nodded she walked up to the door and entered my room. She walked over to the chair next to my bed and sat down and just stared at me. While I in turn examined her closer. Now I could tell her eyes were not completely green but also had little flakes of gold and brown in them, and under her clothes I could tell that she had a willowy graceful body.

"Hey Zack," she said her voice husky from tears.

"Hello."

"Don't you recognize me? I haven't changed that much."

As I peered closer at her I noticed the chain around her neck and indeed there was a ring on it. The ring was made of sterling silver and was in the form of a claddagh with a crystal as the heart in-between the two hands and was studded with diamonds partway around the band. I knew this ring very well as it had been custom made for my great-great-great-great grandmother.

"Claire?"

A/N I hope you liked I know it is outrageously short but I prefer to do short chaps oh and if any of you don't know what a claddagh looks like it is a celtic symbol with two hands cupping a heart with a crown on top if you want to see the picture of the ring pm me and I will send it to you


	2. Back Home

A/N Just wanna give a quick little thank you to Richasa for the review and such. This is gonna go back a little to before she enters Zack's room so we get the conversation actually I might just do it where it is Claire thinking back on it. Oh and only the beginning is set at the end of "The Pain in the Heart". I found this out from another bones story I read and apparently if an episode has the word heart in it we know someone we rally really like is gonna die. Just pointin' that out anyway enough chit chat lets get this story started. R&R!

Claire pov

2

After I had spent a few minutes with Zack, Booth had left so he could go catch Gormagon and save the day. Caroline had come and asked me to step outside the room so she could talk to Zack about her "game plan" as she called it. Although I don't know what about this could be called a game. I was driving to my old apartment just a few blocks away from Jack's house. A few short blocks from where they had found Gormagon. I still couldn't believe it the Zack I knew had to much heart to kill another human being. He was gentle and kind, but well just didn't know how to talk to others so to some people he seemed cold, but once you got to know him he was one of the cutest little scientists. We had only known each other for a few months before he had proposed and I still remember that day as if it was yesterday. We were sitting at the island in my apartment eating Mac and cheese while watching RENT on my small laptop screen when he suddenly jumped up from the barstool and grabbed my hand turning me away from the screen. He gently pulled me off the stool and towards the middle of the room.

"C-Claire? I-I don't have much expertise in this area but I'm going t-to try my best." Zack only stutters when he's nervous about something and I could tell that he was beyond scared of something though I didn't know what.

"What's the matter, babe?"

"I well- you know I love you right?" said Zack as he knelt down to one knee.

"Yes."

"I know we've only known each other for seven months and fifteen days, but I really love you and well- will you marry me?" When he said those four small word my world tilted on its axis and started spinning crazily. In my mind I could faintly hear Tracy Turnblad singing I Can Hear the Bells. I was so stunned I just froze up. When I didn't reply Zack started to really panic but he didn't say anything.

Just as I started to see the hope die in his eyes and he started to get up I said, "Yes."

"W-What?"

"Yes, Zack Addy I will marry you." And as I said those words my heart swelled with joy at the thought of getting married to this dorky yet brilliant little guy and I couldn't have been happier as he slipped the ring onto my finger. His smile was as bright as the sun as he gazed up at me from the floor.

"Now stand up so I can kiss you!" He stood up, grabbed me around my waist and swung me about the rom as he kissed me with a fierce passion.

It was one of the happiest moments of my life. We had set the wedding date for a few months later that year and were already planning if a week into the engagement when I got the call. I had been asked by Dr. Goodman to accompany him on an excavation trip to Egypt since I was the only one who had a doctorate in both anthropology and archeology. He said it would be a great pleasure for him if I were to come along. We had dug into an old pyramid and had discovered many things placed there by the ancient Egyptians. We had gotten permission from the Egyptian government to take some of it back to the Jeffersonian in order to study it more thoroughly in order to understand the ancient people better.

Just reaching my apartment complex I parked my little blue beetle in the space for my apartment and headed on into the building. It was an old complex made out of grey stone and had small wooden windows along the first floor but once you start looking up they get more modern.

"Claire! Oh my gosh when did you get back?" yelled the young lady at the reception desk. Jessica had been a good friend to me in high school, well my only friend in high school and she had recommended this building when I told her about my search.

"I just got back this morning. Look Jess I've had a really shitty day and I just want to go to sleep ok?"

"Ok hun. But tomorrow you are gonna tell me all 'bout Egypt and such. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

I walked up the stairs to my two bedroom apartment. It wasn't big but it wasn't small either. It had a decent sized kitchen and living room connected a small bathroom and two bedrooms. In the living room I had a small couch, a TV, and a small bookcase filled to the brim with books. I had loved to read as a child and when I moved out I started buying books left and right so I would be able to entertain myself on a rainy day without spiking my electricity bill. In my kitchen all I had was an oven, a fridge , a microwave and a blender. It was old fashioned and therefore didn't have a dishwasher so I had to do it all by hand.

I walked into my bedroom and started to unpack my things into my old bamboo wardrobe. My room had an assortment of odds and ends. I had a queen bed in the middle of the room with red and black bed set. I had a black corner desk and a small bookshelf for my school books. I also had a small radio and turned it up on loud so I could tune everything out while I unpack. I was pulled out of my packing reverie by something outside my door crashing to the ground. I turned off my music and walked out toward my living room and noticed my favorite glass vase on the floor shattered into a million pieces. I went to go get my broom from the closet and when I turned around and saw someone standing right in front of me and that's when everything went black.


	3. Girl in the Alley

A/N Ok here is the next chapter. I want to thank everybody who has reviewed and or put this in your story alert. Um….yeah if you want to add a character of your own that would be awesome just pm me because I still need her best friends and maybe a couple co-workers oh and I need someone to do her parents for me I think I have the rest figured out. So yeah pm me if you have a character for me. Oh and the case is different since I don't remember what it was after Zack got sent away.

Claire pov.

3

I woke up in the dark. Well it wasn't completely dark there was a small desk lamp on across the room. I couldn't tell where I was, but I could tell I was in an abandoned building of some sort. I was tied to a chair set in the middle of the room. It was cold and musty. And I was completely alone as far I could tell. Wait nope I wasn't alone there were rats, too. I don't know how long I had been here but I could tell it had been awhile. There was a small window on one side and I could see a small sliver of sunlight coming through. Crap! What are the others at the Jeffersonian going to think? I was supposed to start my job up again today as a temporary assistant to Dr. Brennan since I am the only one else that would be able to until she found a more permanent assistant. Then I would go back to working in the archeology department. "I hope somebody notices me gone and sends a search party." I thought.

Booth pov.

As I walk into the lab something seems off. Oh, right no Zack. Why did that kid have to be so gullible and easily tricked? I mean you would think with his ridiculously his I.Q. he would have been able to figure out he was being duped. Well what's done is done. I walk up to the platform and swipe my card.

"Hey Bones! We got a case." I yell into air looking around for Bones.

"Alright Booth no need to shout." Said that familiar voice behind me. Turning around I see Temperance walking up the step to the platform wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.

"Hey Bones. What's the matter?" I ask.

"Nothing Booth. I am fine no need to worry." She said. I knew her better than that and something was up but I knew she wouldn't tell me till she was ready.

"Has anyone seen Ms. Bratch?" asked Cam from down on the ground.

"No. Why?" I said.

"She is supposed to be filling in as Dr. Brennan's assistant until she finds someone else and then she was going back to her old position in archeology."

"How many doctorates does she have?"

"Three or four I think. Let's see archeology, anthropology, and degrees in acting and health. So two doctorates and two degrees."

"And her IQ?" I ask already flinching from the answer.

"About 175 I think. Who knows it might have grown since the last time we saw her three years ago."

"Great just what we need another genius! Why didn't I know this about her before?"

"Because she is from a different department and you really just ignored Zack and everything about him."

"Oh, that's why. I'll call Claire and see where she is." I pull out my phone and dial Claire's number, but after a few rings all I got was her voice message. "She didn't answer."

"That's not like her to not answer her phone. Even when she's driving she answers it on her Bluetooth."

Said Cam.

"What's not like who?" said Sweets walking up to the group.

"Claire. The girl you met yesterday at the hospital. She isn't answering her cell phone." Said Bones.

"Oh her. She seemed really nice. Why are you guys trying to call her?"

"Because she was going to start as Brennan's new assist and she hasn't showed yet." I said.

"Ah and how do you feel about that Dr. Brennan? About getting a new assistant with Zack's recent…departure?"

"Don't even think of it Sweets! Do not turn think into a moment to use your shrinky mojo." I said stabbing a finger into his chest to make my point even clearer. I'll be damned if he tries to hurt Bones' feelings.

"Shrinky mojo? Really? That's what you call it? What if I called your stuff your agenty mojo, hmmm? How would you feel?"

"Just don't do anything to hurt her feelings got it?"

"Yeah, yeah." He says slinking back from my glare.

"Look if Claire doesn't show up by lunch I'll go out and look for her ok?" I said.

Both Cam and Bones nodded at this and we all went off to do our jobs. Bones and I went to investigate the crime scene. Some teenagers had found a body by the dumpster of a local drugstore and we quickly drove over to inspect it.

"Female. Approximately 17 to 20 years old. Radiating fractures to her frontal bone and fractures on the c3 and c4 vertebra. She was a dancer according to stress marks on her ankles." Said Bones getting up from crouching next to the body.

"You know. I think I will never cease to be amazed by your ability to tell these things just from looking at marks on the bones."

"It really isn't that amazing Booth. I am just able to tell what she did when she was alive from certain stress marks made on the bone. Like if she was a writer there would either be much more stress marks on either her wrist or her fingers from excessive writing or typing." She said giving me a pointed stare.

"Right well it's amazing to me."

"I'll need everything here sent back to the Jeffersonian including theses garbage bags so Hodgins can look through them." We head back to the Jeffersonian and Cam takes over with looking at the flesh and takes some samples from her stomach for a tox screen.

"Well what am I to do while she looks at the flesh?" asks Bones.

"It's lunch time so why don't we head down to Claire's apartment and she what's up?" She nods her agreement and we drive to her apartment building on the other side of town. When we get there Bones and I walk up to the front desk and see a young lady sitting in a chair reading a book and listening to her iPod.

"Um… hello?" I say tapping on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Achk! Oh, sorry not many people come though here except the tenants. My name's Jessica what can I do for y'all?" she said with a slight southern accent.

"We're actually looking for Claire's apartment. Claire Bratch." I say as I pull out my FBI badge.

"Why is Claire in some kind of trouble?"

"No we just want to see her what number is she in?"

"48. But she ain't come down yet."

"Thanks Jessica."

"No problem."

As I walk up the stairs I take out my gun just in case. We find number 48 at the end of the hallway. The door was open and all the lights were off. I use the toe of my shoe to open the door even farther and turn on the lights. What I saw shocked me. There was glass all over the floor. One of the end tables had been knocked over and papers strewn all over the place. I walk slowly through the apartment looking in the rooms just in case anyone was there and as I feared the rooms were all empty.

"Booth! Come here." I found Bones out in the living room looking at a stain on the rug by the coffee table.

"Blood."


	4. Missing Claire

A/N okay here is another chapie! If any of y'all haven't yet please check out my Alice in Wonderland story and review it 'cus I really need reviews on both my stories. Anyways here is the next chapter. R&R!

Booth's pov

4

"I need a team sent over here right now. 1841 Columbia RD. Thanks." I said getting of the phone with another agent.

"How long ago do you think this happened and whose blood do you think this is?" asked Bones.

"I don't know but we'll have Cam do a test and see."

"What if it's her's? Oh God, how are we going to tell Zack that Claire's been kidnapped?" said Bones putting her hand's over her mouth.

"I don't know. Maybe we'll have Sweets do it when he goes in for his session today. Ok?" I said putting my arm around her shoulders.

A few minutes later two other FBI agents, Cam, and Hodgins were at the building doing what they do. Hodgins was taking pictures while the agents were asking questions and Cam was taking a sample of the blood on the floor. After a few minutes Jack was done with his picture taking and Cam had picked up enough of the blood so she could to a test on it. So we all headed back to the Jeffersonian. Hodgins went to give Angela the pics so she could create a run-through of the attack and Cam went to test the blood. So all there was for me and Bones to do was sit and wait. Well actually I went to find Sweets in order for him to tell Zack the news.

"Hey Sweets!" I yell as I see him about to walk out of the building.

"Yes Agent Booth?" he says turning to face me.

"I need you to do me a favor."

"And what would this favor entail?"

"I need you to tell Zack that Claire is missing."

"Why don't you tell him yourself?"

"Because if I go then Bones will want to go with me so she'll be there when Zack hears the news. And then she'll get all worked up because we both know how she felt about Zack. That kid was her favorite out of all of us and you know she would do anything for him so…that means you have to tell him." I say running out of breath towards the end from talking so fast.

"Okay, I'll tell him," he says turning away from me and walking toward the parking garage.

Sweet's pov.

"..that's why you have to tell him." Agent Booth had been talking so fast he had run out of breath by the end of his speech about why he couldn't tell Zack.

"Okay, I'll tell him." I say walking away towards my car. I hop into it and drive over to the Mental Hospital. I get there after only a few minutes as it wasn't that far from the Jeffersonian. I get out of my car and walked up to the front desk inside.

"Dr. Lance Sweets to see Zack Addy."

"Here ya go." Said the lady at the front desk handing me a card never taking her eyes off the computer screen in front of her. I thank her and take the card as the security guard guides me into the meeting room. I didn't have to wait very long until Zack was brought in.

"Hello Dr. Sweets. How are you?" he asked taking a seat at the steel table.

"I'm fine thank you. Zack I-I have some distressing news."

"What is it?"

"W-well ummm Claire is missing."

"What!"

Claire's pov.

I started up as I heard a door open and close not to far away from me. "Hello?" I called out into the semi-darkness. "Who's there?" No answer. I hear footsteps coming closer and closer behind me and finally I he stops right behind the chair I am tied down to.

"Do you know what happens when people thwart the Master?" said a rough voice.

"W-who's the Master? I d-don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do Claire. You know exactly what I am talking about."

"No I don't I swear it! Just let me go please!" I yell tears starting to prick my eyes. Almost immediately I feel a sharp sting on the back of my head as it slams forward.

"Don't yell at me Claire." He says impossibly calm. I really start to cry now as I can still feel a dull throb behind my ears.

"Now you're going to tell me all about you're little fiancé. Got it?" he says pulling up a chair just out of my peripheral vision.

"W-what do you want with Z-Zack?" I feel a small yet sudden sting across the top of my hand when I ask the question.

"I'll be asking the questions Claire. Not you. Now tell me all about him."

"Why? What has he done to you?" I ask. One thing to know about me. I am as stubborn as a mule. This time I felt the sting across my cheek. I felt something wet and warm slowly trickle down my check and realized it was blood. I knew I couldn't give in. I don't know what this man wanted with Zack but I couldn't tell him anything. All my other survival senses were screaming at me to tell him what he wants to know but my love for Zack was smothering those cries.

"You aren't gonna get a peep from me bastard." I said as I spat in his face. That just pissed him off and he hit me in the face as hard as he could which sent me back into the darkness.


	5. A Secret Learned

A/N new chapie yay! Oh and forgive me if I got the name of Angela's machine wrong I can't really remember what they called it so yeah.

Angela's pov.

5

About an hour after Hodgins gave me the pictures of Claire's apartment I had put them all in the computer and had the Angelatron and she had come up with the most likely scenario. I had called everyone into the room including Sweets so he could tell Zack when he sees him next.

"Ok so I ran the pictures through the computer and Angelatron here did a rendering of the scene. Our attacker came through the window of the apartment and started to slowly walk through looking for Claire. She was most likely in another room at the time. Claire heard the glass shatter and came out in order to see what happened. Upon seeing the glass she went to go get a broom or something to clean it up and when she turned around our attacker hit her across the head resulting in the blood you found on the floor."

"Well how did he get her outside with no one noticing? You would think someone would've heard something." said Sweets.

"I don't know Sweets. Angelatron does all the work," I said right back.

"I'll go back and talk to the neighbors. Bones wanna come and get the apartments under her?" said Booth.

"Sure."

Claire's pov.

I don't know how long he had been at this assault but it felt like hours and it probably was. By now I had bruises on my face and arms, and had a bloody nose and dried blood on my cheek and temple. And the only thing I told him was Zack's favorite color.

"It's blue." (ME: Not entirely sure if that's true but it's what I'm going with) For that one he simply slapped my cheek again.

"Can I ask just one question? Who are you?"

"Why don't you recognize me Claire? I guess you wouldn't I was always under your radar. You had me thrown into the dumpster freshman year? I'm Gormogon's real apprentice. Zack was just his lackey for when I was unavailable," He said.

"Jason! You're the apprentice? But how Zack said he was Gormogon's apprentice."

"Well like I said Zack was the lackey. Now your not going to be leaving here anytime soon so you might as well know the truth. It wasn't Zack who killed the lobbyist. It was me."

Zack pov.

"What do you mean Claire is missing? She can't be missing." I said still not believing Dr. Sweets.

"I'm sorry Zack. Booth and the others are going to find her." said Sweets trying to reassure me. I knew they were going to do the best they could and I would not be helping if I started panicking.

"Do they know anything yet?"

"Only how the attack happened. The attacker came in through the window and caught Claire by surprise. They don't know anything else. Booth wanted me to ask though if you know anyone who might want to hurt her."

"No I don't."

Booth pov.

Over the next few days we had searched dozes of houses talked to about twice as many people and still no sign of Claire. We had accepted no new cases until we had found her. Zack was frantic with worry questioning us to no end whenever we came to see him. I had been working at the FBI office all day and I was just now going home. My car had been in a hit and run accident and was in the shop so I had to take the bus home. I got on and paid the fare and chose a seat somewhere in the middle. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket so I took it out and found I had a message from an unknown number.

Hello Agent Booth. Long day at the office?

Who are you?

An interested party.

What is your name?

Oh, Jason of course. I forgot to introduce myself. How rude.

What do you want?

Simple. I want your full cooperation. You will get off at the next stop. Walk two blocks down and meet me at B. Smith's. Tell the man at the front stand your name and he will escort you to a table and we will further discuss my proposition.

Feeling very strange and suspicious I got off the buss and walked over to B. Smith's. It was one of the fancier restaurant's in D.C and I don't go there very often. When I got inside I told the lady at the front my name and she led me to a secluded table in the corner. Nobody was sitting at the table when I got there. I sat down and saw and envelope on the table. It had Booth written on it in a fancy cursive scrawl. Opening up the envelope I pulled out a note that had a picture attached to it. I felt my heart stop and rage filled me when I saw what he had done to her. Claire's body was black, blue and red. I could tell that he had beaten her for hours without mercy. I opened the note and all it said was.

"Tomorrow. 3:00 p.m outside the Jeffersonian. Bring Dr. Addy with you."

A/N okay I know this chapter is basically crap but I have been like hella sick for the past month and I tried to write as best I could but when I am sick my writing really deteriates. Anyway I hope you liked this chapter. When I get better I might try to update it but if you guys think it's fine just leave a review and I won't change it. Peace!


	6. A Bloody Hand

**A/N Hey peeps! I'm back! Have you missed me? Well I have missed you. I have been so busy these past few months **** that I haven't been able to write anything. But I finally got my lazy ass up and wrote something so here it is. Oh and Zack might be getting a little OOC in these next couple of chaps sry for that if it upsets you**

Claire's POV

I opened my eyes slowly seeing Jason just staring at me. I noticed he had changed which means that another day had passed. I can't tell how much time I've been in here since there were no clocks and all the windows were covered. Italics are text messages.

"Morning Claire. Let's get you cleaned up, you have a date," said Jason walking over to me. He untied my hands and legs from the chair and helped me walk up the stairs. I looked around and noticed we were in a mansion, we walked up another set of stairs and Jason left me in a bathroom. He told me to get cleaned up and to put on the clothes hanging on the rack behind the door and to knock when I am done.

I quickly washed up, dried off and I examined my body now that all the blood and gunk were all gone. I had bruises all over my arms and face. Cuts covered most of my arms and my face looked like it had been put through a shredder. All my bruises were in various stages of healing so I was yellow, blue and purple. Looking at the clothes on the back of the door I noticed it was a red knee length tunic ad a pair of black leggings. I quickly dressed and looked for a scrunchy. I found one in a drawer and pulled my hair into a high ponytail. I knocked on the door and a minute later Jason was at the door. He looked me up and down as a frown started to form on his face.

"It'll have to do," he said grabbing my arm and dragging me downstairs. He took me to the garage gagged and tied me up, then shoved me into the back of a black van and soon we were driving off.

Booth's POV

"Booth I don't think this is such a good idea."

"Look Bones I heard you the first gazillion times, we have to see what he wants," I said looking towards Bones as we walked to her car in order to pick up Zack for the switch. We had driven for bout twenty minutes and finally reached the hospital. We walked in and already found Zack sitting in the lobby.

Ready Zack?" said Bones going to stand next to his chair.

"Yes," said Zack while he stood up. We quickly walked back towards Bones' car and the second I got in I felt my phone buzz.

"_Hello Agent Booth. Do you have Zack with you?" _

I typed a reply and hit send.

"I'm guessing that was Jason. I still don't think we should involve any others from the FBI. What if he panics and something happens to Claire?" asked Bones giving me a look.

"Bones…"

Zack's POV

I was sitting in the back of Dr. Brennan's car and when she asked agent Booth about something happening to Claire I froze. I honestly don't know what I would do if something happened to her. Nobody could see it but when she left for Egypt I was a mess on the inside. I barely recognized her when she got back she had changed so much.

Time passed so quickly while I was immersed in my thoughts that before I knew it we had arrived at the Jeffersonian. We stepped out of Dr. Brennan's car and walked up to the courtyard. A couple seconds later we heard Booth's phone go off. He looked at the message then led us over to the other side of the yard. When we got there I saw someone no older than me leaning against the side of a black van. He started to look around and when he saw me he smiled one of the cruelest smiles I have ever seen. It took me a minute but finally I recognized him.

"Jason. Booth promise me that once you manage to track him down after this please kill him."

"Why? Who is he?"

"He is the other apprentice of Gormagon."

"Oh. Why did Gormagon have two apprentices?"

"He needed someone to take the blame for things that the other apprentice did. I was the scapegoat."

Booth and Dr. Brennan looked at me with sadness and pity which is the complete opposite of what I felt like I needed. I was a little sad but I also felt anger towards Jason that he ever touched her.

"Well no point in wasting time let's get this over with," I said walking forward. After a minute we reached Jason and his smug smile grew and grew. He hadn't changed much since I had last seen him. Same dark hair and same cruel green eyes.

"Hello Jason."

"Hello Zack. Long time no see eh?"

"So I'm here let Claire go."

"Alright." Jason moved to the back of the van and opened the doors. When he pulled Claire out of the back I felt my heart clench and anger swept through me. He moved her to his other side right when I heard the gun go off. I dove forward and grabbed Claire just as she began to fall.

"Oh God…no,no,no…Claire, Claire can you hear me?" I pulled my hands away to move them to put pressure on the wound and when I moved my hand I saw blood on it. Claire's blood.

A/N Well there you go! I think this story might be close to the end. Again I am so sorry for not writing this would have been up sooner but my mom took away the laptop. Anyway I hope you enjoyed it and keep your eyes open for the next chap!


	7. Authors Note PLEASE READ!

A/N Okay people quick authors note here I need you all to take my poll really soon please I am getting itchy fingers and I am going to delete my clash of the titans story and maybe my Alice in Wonderland one as well since they have not been as popular as my bones one and I think by doing another story in a different category would be fun. I really want to do an Aro romance story. But I shall leave that up to you my loyal readers. Please leave a review on what you thought of the last chapter and I will be working on the next one soon.

Allon-sy!


	8. And Yet Another Important Author's Note

A/N Ok I have written the last chapter for this story I just haven't typed it up yet. My summer is coming this Wednesday so when my summer kicks in I will make sure to type up the chapter and post it on here. I am SO SORRY you guys have had to wait so long for the next chapter and I apologize thousands upon thousands of times for that. Just know that I have written it and it will be coming soon.

-Allon-sy!


	9. A Forgotten Face

A/N OK here is the last chap for the fic. I am sorry for all of you who have waited months for this. I hope you like it and don't throw machetes at me or anything like that. I might do a sequel but it would be a little bit down the road. R&R!

Zach Pov

It had been nearly two weeks since the shootout. After Claire had been rushed to the hospital she was taken into an emergency room and put into a medical coma. She hasn't woken up. A couple days after the attack I was released from the mental hospital as I had confessed to not have committed the murders. I know I should have stayed locked up even if I didn't commit the murders I had still helped Gormogon and the other apprentice. I also knew that Dr. Brennan shouldn't ask me to come back to work at the Jeffersonian, but she did, and I told her I would think about it. I was walking down the long white hallway to Claire's room. When I walked in I saw the same thing I had been seeing the past few days when I came to visit. Claire was lying in her bed, her skin almost the same shade as the sheets she was tucked under. She was breathing deeply and had a look of peace on her face as she slept. I sat down in the rickety chair next to her bed and held onto one of her hands. It was very cold compared to mine, but her heart monitor was steady so I turned up the thermostat and tucked her hand back under the covers. After a couple of hours of staring at her face, searching for movement my eyes began to close. I fought the darkness but eventually I fell into a deep sleep.

Claire's Pov

I was standing in my kitchen cooking lunch for Zach and I. It was our first anniversary so I wanted to make him one of his favorite foods, mac and cheese. The water in the pot was just about to boil so I quickly dropped in the noodles and turned down the heat. It took about ten minutes for the noodles to finish and when they were I dumped in the butter, cheese packet and a little bit of milk. Since we both liked ours thicker I put just a pinch of milk in. I dished up our bowls, set them on the table and went to get the wine and glasses. After I set them down I called Zach to the table.

We talked while we ate and nearly half an hour later we were cuddled on the couch watching Firefly. It was then that the scene shifted, I was at the Jeffersonian going through my mail. So far it had been research grants and other random things. When I reached the middle of the stack I saw a letter unlike all the others. It was from an archeologist in Egypt, I skimmed through what the letter said. The archeologist said he had heard of my work in identifying ancient Egyptian bones and certain artifacts. He described a dig he was about to go on and said he wanted me to join him if I could. I felt a huge grin spread across my face and ran to the Egyptology section of the Jeffersonian. I looked around and quickly found my friend and colleague, Alice. She was helping set up a sarcophagus in the back corner of the room, I quickly ran over to her and waited for her to finish.

"Look, look Alice! Look at what I found in my mail pile a few minutes ago!" I handed Alice the letter and as she read it her smile got bigger and bigger. When she finished reading the letter she threw her arms around me and gave me a bear hug.

"Oh my gosh Claire that's awesome! Are you gonna go?" she asked letting go of me.

"Of course I'm going! It's a dig in Egypt! I've been waiting for the chance to help discover something important to history. What do you think we'll find?" I asked trying not to jump up and down in my excitement.

"Mummies, pottery, maybe ancient building ruins, I don't know!" she exclaimed. This scene began to fade and I heard someone quietly talking to me. For some reason the voice sounded familiar and I followed it through the dark haze I was stuck in. Slowly I began to break through the fog and after what felt like hours I blinked open my eyes. When my eyes adjusted I saw a white ceiling above me. I looked to my left and was graced with the presence of yet more white.

"_I swear this room makes snow look like a rainbow,"_ I thought to myself gazing about. When I looked ot my right I saw a handsome young man about my age. His wide blue eyes were open and gazing at me in joy. I felt like I should know him but I couldn't quite place his name.

"W-who are you?" I asked my voice hoarse probably from days of not using it.

"Claire, it's me, Zach," he said a look of confusion passing through his eyes.

"I don't know any Zach's. I'm sorry," I said slowly inching away from him.


End file.
